


Match Made In Detention

by nebul4ma



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-21
Updated: 2018-10-23
Packaged: 2019-07-15 10:31:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16061270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nebul4ma/pseuds/nebul4ma
Summary: Marinette? A model student? IN DETENTION? OK maybe not as much of a model student as she could be. But If it weren't for a certain bratty blonde, she wouldn't be in this situation. But Chloe always gets away with everything. Now, for two whole weeks, she's stuck for an hour after school with all the delinquents who are there on a daily basis, anyway. One of whom she runs into far more often than she'd like, and even more so than she thinks: Adrien Agreste. A mysterious boy who came to their school just this year, whose father is the top fashion designer in Paris. Who is he exactly? And what is his connection with the famous thief, Chat Noir?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Totally not starting another new story when I have two other ongoing ones.
> 
> Totally not.

"Late again, Marinette?" the teacher said with a slight shake of her head as Marinette burst into the class room seconds after the bell. She was sure she would make it today. She shouldn't have taken the time to put makeup on today. She didn't put that much on, but it took more than it should.

She rubbed the back of her head and chuckled nervously. "Sorry, ma'am."

"Try not to let it happen again. Go ahead and take your seat."

Marinette went to her seat, sitting with a slight groan. She zoned out most of the lecture, history wasn't exactly her favorite subject to sit in so early in. The teacher finished early, though, so she gave them some time to work in their assignment.

Marinette's best friend, Alya, slid closer to her on their shared bench seat. "Girl you have got to start managing your time better. Or going to bed earlier. Either would probably work."

Flipping open her text book to give the illusion that she was working on schoolwork. "I know, I know. But you know how I get when I get ideas. I can't rest until I get the design on paper perfectly."

"You've been getting a lot of ideas lately. Found some new inspiration?"

She smiled. "I guess so. I'm mostly trying to build a good portfolio. I have to get into a good fashion school. It's my dream!"

Alya returned the smile. "That's still a year away. We have to get through senior year first."

Marinette sighed and nodded. That was easier said than done. Sure, she liked school, she had some friends, but it was all sort of bitter sweet because of a certain someone: Chloe Bourgeois. Her little follower Sabrina wasn't any better. They both made Marinette's life a living hell.

It wouldn't be so bad if Chloe was only loud and obnoxious. But she had to be a bully too, looking down in everyone, except for Adrien Agreste

She supposed he wasn't to bad. Although, she didn't know much about him. He hung out with the group of delinquents at school. He rarely smiled, except towards his friend, Nino, who coincidentally was Alya's boyfriend. As far as thugs go, he seemed a bit on the softer side. Alya swore up and down that he was the sweetest guy around, though, so Marinette believed her.

The bell rang, startling Marinette slightly. She quickly gathered her things and slid out of her seat to head towards the door.

As she passed by the first row, something white appeared in the side of her vision and the next thing she was falling forward. She let out a surprised yelp, and flinched, expecting to hit the floor, but after a second she realized there was an arm across her stomach holding her up. With a swift pull, she was back in her feet, and looking up into the piercing green eyes of Adrien Agreste.

He wore the same neutral expression as he always did, and he didn't say a word. He just shouldered his bag, shoved his hands into the pockets if his leather jacket, and strode quickly out of the room with Nino right behind him and Chloe and Sabrina right after them.

Alya approached her, a slightly worried look on her face. "Are you OK? Ugh I can't believe that. She can't go one day without messing with you can she?"

Marinette knew she was referring to Chloe. And it's was true. Just about every day, Chloe did something to her. Never anything good.

"Best to just leave it be. I'm sure if I were to try and confront her about it, it would only end badly for me."

Alya sighed and shrugged. She knew it was true. "I guess we should head to the next class then."

As they walked through the halls, Marinette's mind flashed back to what just happened. Adrien had grabbed her, but he was no where near her. He was still gathering his things when she passed by the first row, not paying any attention to her, like usual. Yet he had caught her like it was the most natural thing in the world. She shook her head slightly. There wasn't any use dwelling on it. She had classes with him, but they never interacted.

This incident was probably a one time thing.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

Lunch time was one of Marinette's favorite times. She lived right next to the school, so she was able to leave and come back. Her parent's ran the bakery, and we're excellent cooks in general. She also got some free time to work on some sketches.

As she walked back to the school, her nose was in her book. A lot of her inspiration came from the baked goods her parents made for their bakery, as well as other things. She was currently drawing a dress inspired by macaroons.

Walking through the halls, her book was suddenly snatched put of her hands, followed by a mocking laughter.

"Look at this Sabrina, Marinette is trying to be a fashion designer. How drab is this," Chloe voiced as she flipped through the pages, a smirk on her face. She knew Marinette wouldn't do anything. Then again, she had never taken Marinette's design book.

"Give it back, Chloe," she said, "That's doesn't belong to you."

Chloe actually looked surprised that Marinette spoke up. She shut the book with a snap and crossed her arms. "Does it lookalike I care? One word to daddy and this book is mine, if I wanted it. I don't,  though. These designs are terrible."

Quite a crowd had started to grow around them now. Alya was trying to pick through people, but with no luck. Marinette wasn't going to get any back up this time.

Chloe opened the book again. "I mean seriously, who would wear this garbage? Good thing they'll never see the light of day," she drawled before gripping one of thehe pages and starting to tear it.

Marinette didn't even think. She lunged forward, reaching for the book. Chloe pulled it out of her reach, but at the momentum Marinette was going, she ended up basically body slamming Chloe into the brick wall, causing her to drop the book.

"What in the world is going on!?" a deep voice boomed. Mr. Damocles, the principal, shoved past students and gasped at the sight. Chloe sobbing like a well trained actress, with Marinette nearly on top of her.

He pointed towards his office. Marinette's heart dropped. She wasn't getting out of this.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

"Two weeks!?"

Marinette nodded, her head in her hands. Mr. Damocles wouldn't even listen to her side of the story. Chloe threatened to call her father, the Mayor, if Marinette wasn't punished. But because he didn't have solid proof of what happened, he could only give her two weeks of detention after school.

"You know this is ridiculous, right? She was the one who stole your book in the first place!" Alya said, angry.

Marinette wasn't really angry. More disappointed. She let herself get so upset that she just acted without thinking. Now she was more anxious about having to go to detention. There were all sorts of rumors that all the delinquents hung out there, regardless of if they had detention it not, like it was their meeting spot. The teacher would come in only to make sure the kids who were supposed to be there were there, and then they'd leave so they wouldn't have to deal with all the rowdiness.

Alya looked at her and put an a around her shoulder. "Hey, it won't be so bad. I'll tell Nino to keep an eye out for you, OK? He won't let anything bad happen to you."

All Marinette could do was nod as the last bell of the day sounded through the halls.

"That's my que," Marinette said, trying her best to sound up beat. She flashed Alya a smile, albeit a pretty strained one.

Alya called "good luck" after her as she trudged through the hall towards the detention room.

As she approached the door, she could already hear yelling and crashes inside. Gathering her courage, she grabbed the door handle and stepped inside.

"Duck!" a voice called.

Her poor reflexes didn't save her in time as a large rubber band ball struck her right between the eyes. Snickers filled the room as Marinette rubbed the spot. No apologies were voiced as sheade her way to a nearby seat. Close to the door. Close to escape for when the dismissal bell rang at the end of detention.

"I'm surprised to see you here," she heard someone say. "Good girls aren't supposed to get detention."

"Guess she's not as good as she comes off. I bet she's actually got a naughty side."

More snickers, Marinette flushed. What they were insinuating... She didn't even have the courage to talk back.

"Hey dudes, leave the girl alone," someone said. Looking up, she saw Nino just entering the room, tossing his back pack to one of the seats towards the back.

"Why? She looks like she's fun to mess with. That blond bitch sure has a good time of it. And if we have to sit here with her on our turf for two weeks, we should get to have a little fun!"

"I wouldn't exactly call this our turf. Most of us are just forced to be here," Nino retorted, but the other boy ignored him, hopping off the window sill he had been lounging on and stepping over to Marinette.

He placed his hands, well more liked slammed, on either side of the desk she was sitting at, making her jump. "Care to put our curiosity to rest, sweet heart? Are you really a good girl? Or are you actually b-Hey!"

The boy leaped back as a hand smacked him upside the back of the head. The room was silent, which meant only one thing.

Looking up, Adrien now stood partially blocking the desk and fully blocking the boy who was bugging her.

"You're making her uncomfortable, knock it off."

The boy grumbled something under his breath that Marinette didn't catch, but Adrien seemed to.

"You just have to put up with it for two weeks. It's not that long. Don't mess with her again, or else."

That seemed to do the trick and the boy quickly scurried back to his spot, where his buddies all started to tease him.

Adrien turned to her then, those bright green eyes watching every little thing she did. He reached into his jacket and started pulling something out. Her mind going to the worst, she tensed and shut her eyes.

Whatever he had pulled out, he tapped her lightly on the forehead with it. Peeking one eye open, she gasped as she realized it was her sketch book.

"Oh my design book! I thought Chloe still had it," she said, a relieved smile on her face as she took it from him.

Adrien shrugged. "She did, but I got it back. Didn't belong to her anyway."

Marinette flipped the book open as Adrien walked over to Nino. She found that, while some of the pages had been ripped, they had been taped back together carefully.

She glanced over at Adrien, who was deeply engrossed in his phone. Had he fixed the pages?

The teacher walked in at that meet, drawing her attention back to the front of the room. Even if he hadn't been the one to tape up the pictures, he still get her the book back. She had to thank him.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

  _Message from Alya_

_Alya: hey girl! How was the first day? Want to come over and talk about it? We could get pizza!_

_Marinette: I'd love to! Besides I need your help with something._

_Alya: You know I'm always down to help out. I'll see you when you get here!_

Marinette pocketed her phone with a smile as she made her way down the steps of the school. She was the first one out, having pretty much bolted out of the classroom as soon as the bell rang.

Making her way down the street, she didn't notice the pair of green eyes following her until she disappeared.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

Marinette yawned as she made her way down the dark streets of Paris. She had stayed at Alya's house much later than she thought. Luckily, tomorrow was the the weekend so she didn't have to worry about not making it to school on time.

She spaced out as she walked. Letting her feet guide her back home.

Suddenly, she heard what sounded like glass breaking, followed by laughing. It snapped her put of her trance and she felt fear rise slightly inside her. Taking a deep breath, she told herself there was no way anything could happen to her.

Either way, she sped up her pace a bit. Rounding the corner, she smacked into something. Or, someone.

She stumbled back slightly, grumbling softly as she looked up.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the nice girl from detention," the voice said. Marinette tensed. It was the same kid from detention, flanked by his friends that bad hug out with him near the window sill.

He sauntered closer to her, his friends closing in as well. "I never got to fully ask my question," he mused, a smirk on his face.

"I'm not answering any of your questions," she replied, making an attempt to push past him. He grabbed her arm roughly, making her gasp.

His grin grew malicious as he leaned close, grip tightening. She could smell alcohol on his breath. They had probably stolen it from somewhere. But that was the least of her worries.

"Now, don't be rude. Good girls are supposed to be polite. I guess we'll have to teach you a lesson."

Her eyes widened and she started to struggle against him. She wasn't very strong, so her attempt to break free was futile. Though he seemed to enjoy watching her squirm. He gripped her face, forcing her to look at him.

"I bet your hoping Adrien or Nino will come save you. Tough luck, they wouldn't came save a meaningless thing like you." he said, his grip on her face tightening.

In a quick movement, surprising the drunk boy holding her, she tore her face out of his grip and swiftly bit his hand, causing him to yell out. He dropped her arm only to punch her square in the law, knocking her to the ground.

Her vision blurred slightly as tears welled up from the pain. Bringing a shaking hand up, gently touching the throbbing area where he had punched her.

"You bitch! Oh you're going to regret doing that!"

He grabbed her by the collar of her shirt, lifting her up and slamming her against the wall of a nearby building. Pulling one hand away, he reared back, getting ready to punch her again.

"Hurting a lady? Tsk tsk tsk. That's not very gentlemanly of you," a smooth, deep voice called from above them.

The three boys looked up first, all their faces going white when they saw who it was. Their leader let go of Marinette causing her to fall to the ground, also allowing her to look up at the new visitor.

He was instantly recognizable. And not in a good way. Messy blond hair topped by black cat ears, a padded leather suit with a long tail-like belt, and of course the signature black mask framing green, catty eyes.

The infamous thief: Chat Noir.

She blanched, herself. She never believed she would ever run into him. He was kind of like a celebrity. It didn't feel like he existed, but now she was staring right at him.

He hopped down from the roof, landing almost silently in the ground just next to Marinette. "do me a favor and walk away, guys. I'm not really in the fighting mood tonight, so I'll let you off with a warning."

The group leader recovered first from the shock of coming face to face with the most wanted thief in Paris, and thought it'd was a brilliant idea to try and be brave.

"Yeah right. We need to teach her a lesson. Get out of my way, stupid cat dude, I have business to finish." he replied, stomping closer and attempting to pass Chat Noir.

A sharp clawed hand shot out and gripped the boy by the throat, hoisting him easily off the ground and eliciting a terrified squeak from him. Chat Noir's demeanor seed to change as well, giving off a murderous aura.

"I said leave her alone. Don't make me tell you again."

The second he dropped the boy, he took off along with his friends. Chat Noir made a satisfied sound before turning to Marinette.

Backing herself against the building. She quickly realized that she was in more danger now than she had been before. If she had been given the choice, she would have chosen to try her luck with those thugs.

Chat stepped closer and then kneeled down in front of her. He reached a hand towards her slowly, like someone trying not to scare away a wounded animal. When his fingers touched her face, they were gentle. He took hold of her chin and turned her head carefully to the side, taking a look at the newly forming bruise on her jawline. Something dark flashed across his face for a brief second before it was gone. Had it just been a trick of the light?

"you must be terrified right now," he said softly. He offered her a charming smile. "Don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you. What kind of gentleman would I be if I went around after beautiful ladies?"

Without waiting for a response, he hoisted her to her feet. Her legs felt weak after that whole fiasco, and she found herself, unfortunately, leaning against Chat Noir. He didn't seem to mind, however, and his strong arms easily kept her standing.

"I wouldn't feel right leaving you like this. Let me take you home. Where do you live?"

She would have protested. But the look on his face told her not to even try. She gave in and told him her address.

With a smile, he took her arms and wrapped them around his neck. While he held her around her waist, he pulled a small metal stick thing from his back. Pressing a button, they were launched into the air. Her voice was knocked out of her as they soared over the rooftops. Her eyes shut and her grip on the thief tightened. She felt him chuckle, but instead of it upsetting her, she felt strangely comforted by the deep rumble it created in his chest. 

Soon enough, they landed on her balcony. While she was still a bit wobbly, she was able to stand on her own now and quickly stepped away from Chat Noir.

"Umm... Thank you... For saving me. And for taking me home," she said softly, still feeling a bit wary. She wasn't exactly thrilled over the fact that Chat Noir knew where she lived now.

Chat Noir smiled and gave a little bow. "Anything for you, purrincess. Though maybe the streets at night are better avoided."

Marinette couldn't help but give a little smile back. "I'll do my best not to be out too late then."

Chat Noir straightened, and have a satisfied nod before hopping into the rail. "Then until next time, M'lady."

He leaped off the balcony, Marinette rushed to the railing and peered over. Chat Noir had already used his staff to propel himself far away.

And Marinette couldn't help but stare after him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof I am maybe back?? Lack of motivation and ideas really takes its toll. Plus work is stressful at and my schedule has been fucked over like crazy. Hopefully I can start getting chapters and stories up on a regular basis Now!

The while weekend, Marinette experimented with all her makeup. She had gotten quite a sizeable bruise from when she was punched. She pretty much hadn't left her room in two days, except to grab food when both her parents were down in the bakery or to shower. She didn't want them freaking out and grilling her about what happened.

Monday morning rolled around and she woke up early to make sure she had time to get her makeup on.  She picked up her foundation, pushed the pump and... Nothing. Frantically, she pumped it more to try and get something out. But it was hopeless. There was none left, and the shop she got her makeup from was too far away for it to go to and make it to school in time.

New plan, new plan...

She sifted through all her things. Something, she had to have something to cover her face with! After basically tearing her whole room apart, she found a little black face mask, like one an anime character might wear. She didn't remember where or why she got it, but it would have to do!

Slipping the elastic bands over her ears, she adjusted it and made sure it completely covered the bruise. The bruise was just over the corner of her mouth, and stretched down to her chin and jawline.  The mask just barely covered it. She knew she'd have to be careful not to move her head too much.

Walking downstairs, she quickly came up with the idea to pretend to be sick. It was really her only option.

"Morning mom," she said, faking a cough as she came down stairs. She grabbed her bag and a fresh croissant from the table. She could eat it on the way to school.

"Morning, Marinette," her mom replied, a small smile on her face. "oh it's that time of the year again isn't it?" she asked rhetorically as she noticed the mask on Marinette's face. "Do you want to stay home today? You look pretty sick."

"No, that's OK. I don't want to miss any school. I think it's just a cold, I'll be fine." she said, giving her mom a quick hug. "I'll see you after my detention."

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

"Don't give your cold, Marinette, I have a date with Nino on Friday and I don't want to get sick!" Alya said jokingly as she scooted a bit away from Marinette

"that's why I have the face mask," Marinette mused as she took her seat.

Alya scooted back to her regular spot, leaning on her hand. "Girl if you're sick, why not stay home?" 

"If I stay home that means missing more school, and having to make up detention days. I'd rather get those over with as soon as possible."

Her friend gave an understanding nod and turned her gaze to the front of the class room. She made an annoyed groan, causing Marinette to follow her gaze. 

Walking in, clinging to Adrien, was Chloe. Sabrina followed close behind and Nino came after them looking like he was over the situation. He took his seat first, while Adrien detached himself from Chloe with a grimace on his face. He didn't look too happy about his current situation.

Marinette remembered when he first transferred. Before his first day, Chloe went around and told just about everyone that her boyfriend-to-be was coming to their school. But when Adrien arrived, what Chloe spread was quickly put out. While he admitted they were childhood friends, he said he would never date her. Yet she still clung to him, trying to convince him to go on a date.

Chloe waved to him and then went to her seat just across the aisle from him. Adrien sighed and dropped his backpack on the floor, eyes meeting Marinette's as he moved to sit down. His gaze flicked to the mask she wore, and one of his eyebrows quirked up. She glanced away, not wanting to meet a questioning gaze. He didn't seem like the person who would believe her lies.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

Detention went rather smoothly. She came in, sat in her seat, and no one bothered her. She felt all eyes in her, though, which made her nervous. She kept her head down and worked in homework for the whole hour, trying to keep her mind off everything.

Once they were dismissed, Marinette ran home to drop off her school things, then ran back out to go get more makeup. As nice as it was wearing the mask, she could only pretend to be sick for so long before people started to either worry too much or get suspicious. And Alya would be that way in half the time. She loved her friend, but sometimes she was a bit too perceptive.

Hands in her pockets, she quickly walked through the streets. Once she was well away from where people would recognize her, she pulled off the face mask. She had picked up a thick pink scarf when she stopped at home. The days were getting colder as fall crept by and winter was getting closer. It covered her face nicely, and she got to show off the scarf she made.

The shopping district was one if her favorite places to go. It had an array of shops that sold just about anything and everything. This was where she came to get her fabrics or other sewing supplies.

It was pretty busy for a Monday afternoon. Mostly people window shopping. Not many were carrying bags.

She stopped into the makeup store first, quickly graving what she needed and turning about three sales girls down when they offered her a makeover to show some new products. She felt a little bad, but there were reasons she couldn't do it.

Marinette figured, while she was around her favorite shops, she should stop by and pick up some sample fabrics. They helped her when she was trying to think of designs. She had a whole scrap book of sample fabrics that she had picked up over the last few years. The fabric store always gave her scraps of new fabric that they had gotten in since the last time she visited. They tried to tell her no charge, but she felt bad not paying, so they charged her just fifty cents per scrap she took.

By the time she was heading back home, the sun was dipping down, creating a beautiful orange color in the sky. Sunset was probably her favorite time of the day. She decided to take the long way home, which passed by the river. Very scenic, though it was a popular spot for couples on dates to sit and watch the sunset.

In truth, seeing them made her a bit envious.

"Did I forget to tell you not to walk alone at night time?" a voice said above her. Quickly looking up, she saw Chat Noir lounging on a street light. Looking down at her with an amused smile.

Swallowing the slight feeling of fear she got as she saw him, she turned away, taking a few steps away from. The lamp post. "Even if you did, it's not quite night time yet."

She heard a soft thud as the thief landed on the ground. She continued walking, and he fell in step next to her. "Even so, I'd hate for something to happen to you again, Purrincess. Your lovely face is looking a little worse for wear," he replied, face going serious. 

She pulled her scarf up a bit more self consciously. "Bruises heal. And it's could have been a lot worse if you hadn't shown up."

Chat's grin returned. "Hey, may be a thief, but helping a damsel in distress is somethimg I always try to do."

"Oh?" she mused, glancing over at him. "Wouldn't that make you more of a hero?"

"Hero? No way. I like to take things, m'lady. That's what I'm good at, that's what I find fun. Catching bad guys sounds more like a hassle than any fun"

She hummed softly in response. She didn't know why, but she felt strangely at ease around him. Thinking about it, all he really did was steal things. He never attacked any body. In fact, she didn't think he had ever had a run in with the police.

They got closer to her house and she pulled the mask back over her face. She looked at Chat Noir. "You should probably go. I don't think my parents would be too happy to see me walking in with a wanted criminal."

"Before I go," he said, "I never got a proper reward for saving you the other night."

"W-what? Reward?" she stammered, surprised. "What could I possibly have that you would want?"

"Your name."

A confused look passed across her face as she stated at Chat Noir. Was that really all he wanted? It seemed suspicious, but...

"Marinette. My name is Marinette," she answered. A warm smile spread across his face as she said it, making her blush slightly. She didn't think he could make suck a kind face.

"Well then, Marinette," he started, once again giving a little bow. "Until next time."

She watched as he leaped away, leaving her alone in the streets of Paris.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

Twice now, Chat Noir had ensured her safety. And all he had asked for was her name. She felt like she owed him more than that.

The entire next day at school, she was spaced out, trying to think of something to do on make for him. Even Alya couldn't get her attention.

"What's up with her?" she heard Nino ask Alya.

Her friend shrugged. "Not a clue, she's been staring off into space since I got here. I hope she snaps out if it before class, or else the teacher will let her have it."

Adrien turned around to look at her, having heard Alya worrying. He stared at her for a second, then adjusted so that he was right in her line of vision. It took her a second, but she realized they were staring into each others eyes. She shook her head and lowered her gaze. "Sorry, I guess I'm just out of it today."

"I'll say! What could possibly be on your mind?" Alya asked.

"oh um," she hesitated. "I uh...  Trying to make a gift for someone, but I don't know what to make."

Alya grinned, "Is it a special boy?" 

"What!?" Marinette yelped, "w-why would it be for a b-boy?"

"OHHH it totally is! You better give me all the details, girl!"

Marinette groaned slightly. Great, now she was stuck. Adrien had turned back around to the front, so Marinette didn't see the small smile that crept onto his lips.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

Marinette sat in bed, knitting needles moving swiftly. It was such a calming activity, she didn't know why she didn't do it more often.

The black ball of yarn she had started with had dwindled to about half the size it was when it started. She was left with an almost five foot scarf. Light weight, but tightly knit together so that it kept heat in and kept cold out. Perfect for a certain thief that liked to fly through the air.

She wondered, though. If she would have to carry it around with her until she saw h again. He would probably be upset if he found her wandering the streets at night. That was looking like her only option, though, until a knock came from above her.

Jumping slightly, she reached up, hand on the lock. "Who is it?" she asked, guessing the answer before a voice answered.

"It's your knight in shining armor, m'lady."

With a shake of her head, she got up on her knees, unlocking the hatch that led up to her balcony.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, honestly a little surprised that he was there.

"I wanted to make sure you were at home, nice and safe, instead of wandering around the streets. Which you seem to have a habit of. Mind if I drop in?"

She hesitated for a second, then loved out of the way slightly. She grabbed the finished scarf off of her bed and hid it behind her back as chat dropped down. He quickly made himself comfortable, lounging with his legs crossed and arms behind his head.

"pretty comfy bed you have here. A Chat could get used to this."

"Don't get too comfortable. If my parents catch you here. We'll both be in trouble." she chided, but settled in just to the left of him.

He chuckled slightly shaking his head. "It's a little late for them to be up. Matter of fact, it's a little late for you to still be up too."

She looked at the clock and winced. It was already just past midnight. She was going to be exhausted the next morning.

"Well..." She started, "I was making something and I guess I got a little caught up in it."

"Hmm? What were you making?" he asked nonchalantly.

She smiled slightly and pulled out the black scarf, handing it to him. "A thank you gift. For helping me. I even made it black, to match your suit."

Chat sat up, taking the scarf, a look of surprise on his face as his eyes went from the scarf, to her, then back to the scarf.

"This... This is for me?" he asked softly.

She nodded, wrapping her arms around her knees loosely. "It seemed like a good idea, since it's getting colder out and you launch through the air on that staff. Hopefully, this should help a little."

That same warm, kind smile spread across his face that he showed just the other night. "Thank you, Purrincess. I'm treasure it always."

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

A black clad figure swung quietly into a dark room through a tall window. Landing in soft carpet, he sighed, walking over to his closet.

He pulled out the back panel, and then grabbed a lock box out from there. With a key and a number code, the box opened.

The box was empty, but it wouldn't be for long. Off came the ears, the mask, and the suit, and into the box they went.

Locking the box back up, and returning it to its hiding place, the boy slipped on a pair of sweats and a plain T-shirt.

He picked up a black scarf that he had gently laid down on a table. He smiled, holding it to his chest as he flopped down onto his bed.

"it's so easy to talk to her while I'm him," he said softly to himself. "So why can't I talk to her when I'm Adrien?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here comes another chapter!! As you may have noticed, I kind of switched things up. Since "Ladybug" doesn't exist (at least, not yet), Adrien can't exactly have a crush on her, but he can have a crush on some one else *wink*

The first week of detention went by pretty fast. No one bothered her, aside from Nino saying hello and Adrien giving her a nod in greeting. She found she was running into him more often, now that they've actually spoken. He rarely said much, but he never gave off an unwelcoming air.

Chat Noir started visiting her regularly, too. She didn't exactly like hanging out with a criminal, but she couldn't help but feel comfortable around him. He was a bad guy, but he wasn't a  _bad guy._

She wondered if he would visit her again over the weekend as she gathered her items. The dismissal bell rang, signaling the end of her first week of detention. With a sigh, she made her way outside, where she found Alya waiting for her.

"Alya? What are you doing here?" she asked. She was sure her date with Nino was over the weekend.

Alya looked up from her phone, smiling. "I thought we could celebrate you finishing your first week of detention. Shopping, go to the movies, anything! But first, we should stop by and grab some cookies from your parents bakery."

Marinette smiled, a soft laugh escaping from her. Alya really was the best friend she could ask for. "That all sounds like fun to me."

"What sounds like fun," Nino said, sliding up and casually wrapping an arm around Alya's shoulders.

"going out to celebrate Marinette getting through the first week of detention unharmed," Alya said with a chuckle.

Marinette's smile turned a but strained. Better that she didn't know. 

Nino shot a glance at Adrien, who's eyes widened slightly. He knew what Nino was thinking, but he didn't have time to interject. "Well how about two more buddies join you? Then it'll really be a party."

Alya grinned. She knew what Nino was trying to do. "That's OK with me. What about you Marinette?"

"Sure! The more the merrier! Let's head over to the bakery, then. I can drop my stuff off. You guys can leave your stuff there too, if you want."

"Lead the way, dude," Nino said with double finger guns, making the girls laugh a little. Even Adrien smiled a little. Though he was hiding a jumble of nerves as he followed the others across the street.

"hey Papa, mom," Marinette said as she entered the bakery first. Nino held the door open for Alya, and then Adrien. Everyone greeted Marinette's parents, who responded in kind as Marinette led her group of friends through the back of the bakery to the apartment up stairs.

"You guys can put your things in this closet here," she said, opening a door just to the right from where they came in. "I'm going to put my stuff in my room, I'll be right back."

Marinette disappeared up the stairs, leaving the three others standing in the front door way. Alya and Nino glanced at each other, then Alya spoke up.

"Adrien, why don't you wait here for Marinette. Nino and I are gonna grab some cookies for the road, and we can decide what to do first later."

Alya and Nino were already partway out the door. "her room is all the way at the top of the stairs if she's taking too long!"

Adrien stood there, in a bit of a stunned silence. Nino knew, for sure, and he knew he didn't tell Alya. That girl was just incredibly perceptive.

He crossed his arms with a sigh, glancing up at the stairs every so often. What could be taking her so long. Nervously, he started up the stairs. He had been in her room before. But not as himself. Now it seemed.... Strange. As Adrien, him and Marinette weren't that close. But her and Chat Noir? They were making progress.

He reached the top of the stairs and saw a ladder leading up to a hatch. It looked the same as the one leading to her balcony. He knocked lightly. "Marinette? Everything OK in there?"

He heard a crash and then a yelp. Instincts taking over, he pushed the hatch open and jumped into the room. He heard a soft "ow" coming from  the closet. Walking over, he saw Marinette buried in clothes. From the looks of it, the bar holding everything up was too weighted down with all the clothes. It must have given way when she tried to hang something up.

He held back a laugh. "You need any help?" he asked, holding out a hand. Marinette's head poked out of the clothes, with a huff, fave a bit red from embarrassment. She took his hand, and he pulled her out of the clothes with ease. Her hair was a bit mused, and she looked exasperated over the state of her closet now.

"Sorry," she muttered, straightening out here jacket. "I'll deal with this later, let's not keep the other two waiting."

"Marinette, wait," he said, grabbing her wrist.

She turned around, eyes going to his hand first, then to his face. "What is it?" she asked.

He turned his gaze to her jawline. The yellowish-purple of a still healing bruise was starting to be visible. It must have wiped off a bit when she was buried by clothes. "You might want to fix your makeup," he said softly, letting go of her wrist. He saw her face pale slightly and she walked over to her mirror. Working quickly. She fixed her makeup, triple checking to make sure the bruise was covered.

Adrien waited patiently for her, feeling a bit of rage build inside his gut. He should have torn that guy limb from limb for hurting her. Right now, he couldn't do anything.

He glanced over at he saw her walking over to him, eyes down. His eyebrows furrowed slightly. "You OK?"

"I'm OK," she replied with a slight nod. Though Adrien got the feeling it was more reassuring herself than reassuring him.

"let's go, then. I'm sure Alya has some fun stuff planned."

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

The first thing they did was go to a movie. There were a few horror movies out for the fall that Alya wanted to see, and since there wasn't really anything else good out, the rest of the group agreed. With popcorn, candy, and drinks, they took their seats. Adrien sat by the aisle, with Marinette next to him, and then Alya and Nino. Alya and Nino were getting pretty cuddly.

Glancing over at Marinette, Adrien could see she was tensing up already. Her hands were baked against her knees. The movie hadn't even started yet. He reached over without a word and took one of her hands in his. She didn't protest, out of surprise. Then the movie started and her grip on his hand tightened.

It made him smile. Just a little bit.

By the time the movie had ended, she was clinging to his arm. As the credits rolled, he finally felt her relax a little, but she didn't let go of his arm. He glanced over and saw Nino and Alya looking at him with huge smiles on their faces. He waved a hand, trying to get them to stop before Marinette saw.

He looked down at her, a slight smile returning. "You know, if you really dont like scary movies, we could have seen something else," he said, meeting her gaze as she finally looked up.

Realizing she was still holding I go him, she let go quickly, her face flushing red. "N-no it's not that I don't like them. I'm just not used to watching the."

"are you guys ready to go?" Alya said, as her and Nino stood up. Marinette nodded and stood as well. Adrien led the way out of the theater and back outside.

Checking her phone for the time, Alya hummed in thought. "By the time we get to the shopping district, most of the shops will be closed. But we could all go out to dinner instead."

"There's a cute little cafe around here I've been wanting to try, if you guys want to go there," Marinette suggested. Everyone quickly agreed, and they started walking to the cafe.

Adrien noticed Marinette was still a little tense from the movie, and with the sun having set while they were in the theater, the dark couldn't have been helping her relax. This time, he offered her his hand. Hesitating a moment, she took it silently, and they continued to follow Nino and Alya to the cafe.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

"We definitely have to come back to this place!" Nino exclaimed as they walked out of the cafe. Marinette had to agree. The food was simple, but delicious, the staff was nice, and the atmosphere was lovely. It would make a great date spot. That is, if she was ever asked out on an actual date.

Alya yawned, and agreed with her boyfriend. "we should, but now I think it's time for all of us to head home."

"Dibs on walking you home!" Nino said, wrapping his arms around Alya's waist. Alya rolled her eyes, laughing.

"Well obviously," she mused. She looked at Adrien. "Can you make sure Marinette gets home safe?"

Adrien nodded silently, stuffing his hands in his pockets. Of course they were going to leave them alone with her. He just hoped he wouldn't do anything embarrassing.

"Oh! What about all of your things? They're still at my house," Marinette said.

Alya waved a hand. "I'll stop by sometime this weekend to grab me and Nino's things, if that's OK."

Marinette nodded with a smile, waving goodbye to her friends before waking with Adrien towards her house.

It was... A bit awkward to say the least. He wasn't much of a talker, it seemed. Though... Despite it being an awkward silence, she felt kind of comfortable around him.

They walked for a while in silence. The streets were pretty empty. Once in a while they would pass someone, but other than that, the city was pretty much asleep.

Suddenly, Adrien stopped, reaching out and grabbing her arm. He pulled her behind him just as a group of guys came around the corner. At the sight of them, Marinette had flashbacks to the week before. Same three boys from before, plus two others.

Four of them stopped at the sight of Adrien. But the leader just scoffed, looking around him to Marinette.

"Look who it is. The little bitch that bit me. I still owe you for that," he said, lips curled back. For whatever reason, he was the only one not afraid of Adrien.

Marinette looked away. She didn't want tonight to end up like last week. She was having fun up until now. She gripped Adrien's jacket, and he took a deep breath.

"You wouldn't happen to be the one who gave her that bruise, are you?" Adrien asked calmly. In reality, he knew it was him. But he couldn't allude to that.

The boy shrugged, stepping closer and peeking over at Marinette. "So you're with Adrien now, hug? Last time too were with that coward Chat Noir. I guess you really do like to play around you little wh-"

He didn't get to finish his sentence, as Adrien fist connected with his face, knocking him to the ground in a one hit K.O..

Rubbing his hand, he saw his knuckles were cut a little. He must have scraped them against the guy's teeth when he punched him. He looked up at the other four, a challenging look in his eye. They all backed down, keeping their eyes to the ground.

Taking her hand, Adrien pulled Marinette away from the group quickly. Luckily they were pretty close to her home.

"A-Adrien slow down," Marinette said, stumbling slightly. She was quite a bit shorter than he was, so she was having a hard time keeping up with the pace.

Adrien stopped. His back to her. Dropping her hand, he shoved his own into his pockets. "sorry," he mumbled. "that probably ruined your night."

Marinette sucked in a few breaths. "I wouldn't say that," she said, stepping around to look at him. She offered him a smile. "Actually, thanks for standing up for me. Now, let me see your hand."

Adrien looked at her for a second, then pulled his hand from his pocket. It looked pretty bloody, but he wound itself wasn't that bad. She hummed in thought. "Come inside, I'll help you get this cleaned and bandaged up."

She pulled her keys out of her pocket and unlocked the side door of the building. She led Adrien up the stairs, signaling for him to be quiet. Her parents were probably asleep now and she didn't want to wake them.

Quickly leading him to the bathroom, she had him sit on the edge of the tub while she pulled out a first aid kit. Sitting across from him on the toilet seat, she grabbed some antiseptic and bandages and got to work.

"So..." Adrien began. "You've met Chat Noir?"

She froze for a second before continuing. "I have. He helped me the last time I ran into those guys."

Adrien chuckled slightly in disbelief. "Seems strange that a criminal would step in to help like that."

She sighed. "I thought so too. I thought he would turn around and try to rob me or something. But he didn't. He's, surprisingly, a gentleman."

A smile spread on her face, One that made Adrien heart skip a beat. Did... Did she like Chat Noir? If she did, that means she technically liked him! He had to force his heart to calm down. He wasn't sure if that was the case. He didn't want to jump to any conclusions.

She quickly finished wrapping his hand and packed away the remaining items. "You're all set," she said, smiling for him that time. He returned the smile and stood up.

"Thanks," he replied. "I really appreciate it."

She walked him over to the door, grabbing his bag from the closet and handing it to him. Before he left, he asked for her phone. A little confused, she handed it to him.

He typed for a momemt, them handed it back to her. "My number," he explained. "If you need me. I'm just a text away."

She nodded, and said goodbye as he walked out the door. Looking down at her phone, she smiled, and then made her way back inside.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof this week is going by very slow and I'm ready for my two days off. Maybe then I'll work on my other stories that I need to finish and I feel bad for abandoning for so long.
> 
> Dress reference: https://goo.gl/images/S1guFK

Detention wasn't so bad. Marinette settled I'm nicely after that first week. Now that Adrien knew she had more than a few run ins with some of the other kids in detention, he sat by her every day and made sure no one messed with her.

It drew a bit more attention her way, though not in a bad way! The other kids in Adrien's crew actually talked to her kindly. They teased her quite a bit, but she could tell this teasing was in good nature.

She had a lot of fun, during the last week. She was actually a little sad that she didn't have to come anymore.

Her last day of detention, Adrien walked her home.

"It's gonna be kind of weird not having you there anymore," he said, hands in his pockets as they walked close, some by side. He had gotten more talkative the longer they were around each other. And Marinette really liked talking to him.

She smiled. "I wouldn't mind stopping by once in a while, if everyone's OK with that."

"I know I won't mind. And everyone else seems to have warmed up to you too," he replied. Except for that one guy. He had kept to himself since the night Adrien decked him. All the better. They didn't have to deal with him now.

"I remember when I had my first day. I thought I was going to be eaten alive," she shivered slightly. "I'm kind of glad I was wrong."

They finally reached the side door of her home, and she fumbled with her keys. Adrien hesitated for a second, then spoke up.

"I was wondering," he started, swallowing his anxiety as she looked up at him. "If you, uh... Would want to go on a date? Tomorrow night?"

He saw her eyes widen slightly, and he wondered if maybe he was moving too fast. They had only just started getting to know each other, after all.

"oh um," she blushed slightly. "Sure, I'd like that."

Adrien was stunned I go silence for a second. She... Really said yes. She said yes! He was going to plan something fantastic.

He threw on a cool smile, nodding. "Great. How does 7 sound?"

"perfect," she replied, "I'll see you then."

With that, she went into her house. Adrien stood outside a moment, smiling wide. He pumped his fist in victory. He had worked up the courage, and he had asked Marinette out. Now, he had to hurry home and plan a date. And maybe give her a visit as Chat Noir and see what her thoughts were on the while thing.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

Marinette spent the whole day Figuring out her makeup and what to wear. Luckily, her bruise was gone now so she didn't have to cake on makeup to cover it.

She went with a subtle look. Mascara, a thin line of eyeliner just to make her eyes pop, a hint of blush on her cheeks, and light pink lipstick to give her lips just a bit of color.

The hard part was finding something to wear. The weather said it was going to warm up a little, so she had a bit more options for outfits. She just hoped she didn't pick something too formal. Or worse, not formal enough. Adrien didn't say where they were going, and he refused to tell her. She had been texting him and trying to pry it out of him all morning. All he told her was wear whatever she wanted to.

Standing in her robe  she stared at her closet. Arms crossed, she was starting to get anxious. She still had a few hours, but she also still had to do her hair.

A knock on her balcony hatch told her she had a visitor. "Come in!" she called.

She barely heard Chat drop down. Silent as ever, he lounged in her bed as per usual, watching her from above.

"Evening m'lady. Looks like you've got plans. Going someplace fancy with your friends?" he asked.

"Kinda," she replied with a chuckle, glancing up at him for a second, then back to her closet. "I'm going in a date."

"A date?" he repeated perking up. "You mean someone beat me to the punch?"

A bit surprised, she kept her eyes on her closet. "You were going to ask me in a date?"

He hummed in affirmation, propping his head up on his hand. "I was. Now it seems like someone is trying to steal you away. Guess I'll just have to steal you back. Good thing stealing is my specialty," he said, grinning.

Marinette laughed a little. "Hold your horses, kitty. I don't even know what this is yet. I mean... He seems like a nice guy, but we haven't known each other for very long."

"Then why are you going out with him?"

"because... Maybe there is something there. Wouldn't you want to explore a bit with someone to see if you're right for each other?"

He fell silent at that, as if in thought. She returned to her clothes searching. Scanning the rack one more time, her eyes landed on a slip of pale pink and she gasped, lunging forward to grab the garment.

It was a simple, light pink halter dress that came down to her knees. One of the first things she ever made. It was perfect! It was simple, but also had an elegant, formal feel to it. She glanced up at Chat, motioning for him to close his eyes. She thought she saw a hint of red hot his cheeks as he covered his face with a hand and turned away slightly.

She slipped the dress in, looking at it in the mirror as she clipped the button at the back of her neck together. She told chat he could look, and when he did, he let out a low whistle.

"If this is how you dress for a date, I think I need to take you in about ten."

She laughed. "Flattery will get you no where, Chat Noir."

"You sure?" he mused, hopping down and sauntering closer to her. "Compliments are another one of my specialties."

He was close, very close. Looming over her, but not in a threatening way. He had a flirty grin on his face, a smile that made her heart skip a beat. She backed up slightly, back hitting the wall. He leaned against the wall, arm right next to her head.

"I don't think I ever asked this," he began, tilting his head slightly as he looked directly into her eyes. "Are you afraid of me? Since I'm a criminal?"

Marinette returned his gaze. "if... If I was, I wouldn't have let you in that first night," she said softly.

He chuckled slightly. "You still could be a little afraid of me. I've done a lot of bad things, Marinette. Things you may not be able to accept if you knew."

"Why are you suddenly trying to convince me you're a terrible person?" she asked back, eyebrows furrowing.

He pulled away from her then. "Making a point. You may think you know someone well, but they'll always have more buried wherenyou can't see."

She looked at him, a bit confused. He started heading up to her balcony. "I'll leave you to finish getting ready for your date. Just remember, I'll be taking you on a date, too."

He was gone before she could respond, making her a little annoyed. But when she thought back to his intense gaze and how he had been so close, she flushed bright red.

She forced herself to calm down, she had to finish getting ready!

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

Adrien was early. Marinette's parents called her down ten minutes to 7, just as she finished putting her shoes on. She went with white heels, that had a few straps that crisscrossed over the top of her foot. Her hair was up in a bun with a few strands curled and left down around her face. And to finish the look, a pair of white stud earrings.

Checking herselfnin the mirror one last time, she grabbed a light jacket and headed downstairs.

She saw Adrien before he saw her. He was dressed in a casual black suit, with a slight V-neck shirt under the jacket. Despite being a casual look, it looked high fashion and probably expensive. 

He looked up at her and smiled wide, making her blush a little as she came the rest of the way down the stairs.

"You look beautiful," he said with a bit of awe.

"Oh let me get a picture of you two!" Marinette's mom exclaimed, grabbing her camera from the counter.

"Mom!" Marinette huffed, a bit exasperated. But Adrien hand at the small of her back made her quiet down.

"One picture won't hurt, right?" he asked. She had to agree. Scooting closer together, Adrien's hand slipped around her waist. Hoping she didn't look as red as a tomato, she smiled at the camera. Her mom snapped a couple of pictures, and then they said their goodbyes.

Adrien led her outside. At the curb, was a very expensive looking car. The brand logo looked like Aston Martin.

He opened the door for her, and waited until she was comfortably seated before shutting the door and walking over to the drivers side. Soon enough, they were off.

"So now will you tell me where we're going?" she asked, folding her jacket in her lap.

Adrien smiled, turning into a main road. "So curious," he mused. "Well, first, we're going to a restaurant for dinner. And then there's supposed to be fireworks over the river tonight, if you'd like to watch."

Marinette smiled. "That sounds wonderful."

A comfortable silence settled in the car. Marinette looked out the window and watched the city pass. She noticed they were entering the higher end part of town, and she worried Adrien was taking her someplace too fancy.

After a few more minutes, Adrien pulled up to a restaurant. It looked fancy, as it had a valley and a number of photographers were lined up next to the entrance. It must be a popular place for celebrities.

Adrien must have seen the look on her face, he reached over and placed a hand over hers. "Don't worry, this place is pretty casual. It's more popular, than anything."

She nodded still feeling a little nervous.

Adrien pulled up to the valet booth, and asked Marinette to wait a moment. He got out of the car and handed the keys to the valley, speaking a few words before stepping over to her door. He opened it for her and offered a hand which she took, and he helped her out of the car.

The photographers, recognizing Adrien as the Agreste heir, snapped pictures of the two of them. Marinette kept her eyes in the door, hoping that these photos wouldn't end up on the cover of a tabloid somewhere.

Once inside, they were seated quickly in a secluded spot. "A little privacy," Adrien explained. "This place can get pretty busy."

They spoke a lot over dinner. Marinette was surprised they had a lot in common! They both liked video games and sweets. She learned that Adrien had a cat and that he used to model for his father's clothing line, but that's he was taking a break to work on school. She told him about her dreams to go into fashion and how she had been working on her design portfolio for the past year.

He encouraged her to go for it, making her smile.

They finished their dinner, and headed out of the restaurant. The vallet pulled the car around and they headed for one of the many bridges over looking the river. The barge carrying all the fireworks was just a ways down the river, so they found the perfect spot to watch and seated themselves on a bench.

While they waited for the fireworks to start, Marinette turned to Adrien. "I've been wondering, what made you want to ask me out?"

Adrien looked out over the river, chuckling a little. "actually... I've liked you for a while. I wasn't sure we'd be good together, though, since we seemed so different."

Marinette nodded. "That's true. But you're not as much of a bad boy as you come off, you know."

"I'm not, but that's just the air I give off, I guess. I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing though. No one messes with me, that's for sure."

"Are you happy like that, though?"

He looked surprised by the question. Then he shrugged. "Hard to say. I'm not unhappy. But it does kind of suck that I'm not really being myself."

Marinette nodded in understanding. Her mouth opened to reply, but the first fireworks went off, pulling her attention away from the conversation.

They watched the whole show. Adrien, at some point, put his arm around Marinette, and she leaned into him. Some other couples had gathered on the bridge as well to watch the show. They decodedbot would be a good idea to head out just before the end of the show so they wouldn't get stuck in traffic.

Marinette almost didn't want the night to end, but she was tired and it was pretty late. Adrien drove her home and walked her to the door.

She turned to him, smiling. "Thank you for tonight, I had fun," she said.

Adrien returned the smile. "I did too. And... I'd like to do it again sometime, if you'd like."

"I'd love to," she replied, fiddling with her keys.

Adrien watched her for a moment, then leaned in close. He didn't go for her lips, instead, he placed a light kiss to her cheek. "Until next time then," he said, then turned and left a stunned Marinette at her door.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

"knock knock, purrincess. I saw you get back home and thought I'd see how your date went," Chat said as he opened the hatch. He noticed immediately that something was up.

Marinette was sitting up, knees pulled to her chest with her face in a pillow. He dropped down, worried.

"Marinette? Are you OK? Did that guy so something? If he crossed a line, I'll take care of him for you," he said, knowing full well he couldn't exactly beat himself up.

She peeked from the pillow looking at him. She shook her head, which confused h even more. 

"Please talk to me, m'lady. As much as I wish I could, I can't read minds."

He hear her sigh, and she finally looked up. Her cheeks were a little red. "I've just... Never been kissed I'm any way before. He just kissed me on the cheek, yet I got so flustered."

Chat Noir sat back, placing a hand over his eyes for a moment.

"Chat? Are you OK?"

"I thought maybe he tried something you weren't comfortable with. You really scared me, princess. I thought maybe you were hurt."

"Oh, I'm sorry, chat. No it was nothing like that," she said, laughing softly. He uncovered his eyes and smiled. She seemed to be relaxing finally

"I'm guessing, aside from you getting all flustered at the end, the date went well?"

"It did, I had a lot of fun," she said, smiling. She told Chat what they did, and where they went. He listened carefully to everything she said, taking mental notes.

"I seem to have a lot to live up to when I take you on a date. You seem pretty tired though, you should go to sleep."

"Hmm? Oh I'm not that tired," she said, fighting back a yawn. Chat Noir grinned a little, raising an eyebrow.

He tossed a blanket over her and himself. He lounged back, pulling her with him. She yelped a little in surprise, and flushed red. "C-Chat!"

He shushed her, rolling on his side to face her. "You need sleep, purrincess," he said softly. "I'm not leaving until you're asleep."

She pursed her lips slightly, and closed her eyes. "Fine," she mumbled. She was a lot more tired than she cared to admit, and she was soon fast asleep.

Chat stayed for a while, just wanting to be by her side. He knew at some point he would have to tell her about his true identity. And he really didn't want to make her choose between the two of them. But... What would she say if she found out that Adrien was a thief? Or that Chat Noir was a high school senior?

He wasn't sure if she would accept him after that. But he would have to try. He didn't want to lie to her forever.

 


End file.
